Carl Smith

Who is Carl Smith?

Carl "Tatti" Smith was an American jazz trumpeter, best known for his performances with Count Basie and others in the 1930s and 1940s.

He was born in Marshall, Texas, probably around 1908 although details are unknown. He played in bands such as those of George Corley and Terrence Holder in and around Kansas City in the early 1930s. He also toured in California with Gene Coy's band, and played in Texas with Alphonso Trent. By 1936 he had returned to Kansas City, where he played in Basie's band with Lester Young, Walter Page, Jo Jones, and Jimmy Rushing. He was also co-leader with Jo Jones of a sextet, Jones–Smith, Inc., which gave Lester Young his first recording session. In 1937 he joined Skeets Tolbert's Gentlemen of Swing. In the late 1930s and early 1940s he played with a number of popular bands including those of Benny Carter, Leon Abbey, Oran "Hot Lips" Page, and Chris Columbus.

After the end of World War Two, Smith traveled to South America. He performed in Argentina and Brazil during the 1950s. However, no record of him seems to exist after that time.